Tsuki no Kodomo
by amatsu-hime
Summary: A child is born every few hundred years with the mark of the moon on their right wrist. When Kaoru is born, she bares this mark. The mark of one who could save or destroy the demon world. Hidden from birth by her deceased parents, two factions look for the rumored child. Eighteen years later, the word has spread that she is in Edo.
1. Prologue 1: What Happened Before

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I've written this for my wonderful imouto, Little-Wolf94. I hope you enjoy it. I think it's one of my favorite ideas that I've come up with, especially after my imouto helped me iron out some of the wrinkles. Please review and let me know what you think so far.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kenshin or anything about Kenshin except for the story that follows which is mine.

TIMELINE: The Meiji Revolution was 25 years ago, and the Shishio uprising was 19 years ago.

He ran as quickly as he could to the small cabin in the woods. It was a race against an invisible foe that he wasn't certain that he could win. Quickly dodging the obstacles in his path didn't even require any real thought. His mate and daughter were waiting for him, and he would do anything to get there in time. When his daughter had been born three days ago, he knew that likely, none of them would survive a week. The small crescent birthmark on the inside of her wrist pretty much guaranteed that; the mark that declared her as a moonchild—a gift to the world from the gods themselves.

When his daughter, Kaoru, was born three days ago, every demon would have felt the surge of power. And they would all be drawn to her. With the Shishio incident only a year past, he feared that there were those who would wish to experiment with some of the rumors of the moonchildren; more specifically, the rumor that the child's blood could raise someone from the dead on the night of the new moon.

When she had been born, he had taken both her and his mate to a small cabin that belonged to his friend, Genzai, in the woods. It would take longer for enemies to find them there. However, today, he knew that their time was up. He had to get to the cabin before the spy that had seen him.

The fear of her power drawing more demons to them had led him to seek out a seal for his daughter's powers. It would take an extremely strong one, and there was only one person that could make a ward strong enough to block her powers for the next twenty years, Takani Megumi. He should have known that there would be someone waiting for him there. But he had succeeded in getting the ward.

Finally, he saw the cabin in front of him. He had to seal his daughter's powers before it was too late. Rushing into the cabin, he saw Genzai holding his daughter while staring at his mate on the bed. She was dying and they both knew it.

"Takei," she whispered softly. Genzai looked up and stepped out of the way when he saw the demon in front of him.

"Hush Keiko, you need your strength," he said going straight to her side. The ward in his hands dropped to the floor with a small thud.

She gave him a sad smile and said, "You know that I won't last the night. Please, I wanted to see you before I joined the gods."

"I'm here," this time he couldn't keep the sorrow from his voice.

His mate was strong, but the birth and subsequent and hasty move had sucked the life out of his mate. "We won't survive what's coming."

"I know, but we will keep our daughter safe," at this, he looked to Genzai who had picked up the ward from where it had landed.

"Hide her at the Kamiya dojo in Edo."

"Why there?" her husband wanted to keep her talking. He could feel her fading from the world and he wanted every last moment he could get.

"Kamiya-san saved my life years ago. He will keep her safe."

"Don't leave me, Keiko," he said bowing his head and resting it against her hand.

She gave him a weak smile and whispered something that Genzai couldn't hear before releasing her last breath.

When Takei raised his head to look at her, tears poured down his cheeks. This was a sight that Genzai would never forget and would remember to share with the small being in his arms.

Wiping his face dry and standing, he turned to Genzai and the sleeping child in his arms. "Will you take her to Edo for me? I will stay here and close the trail behind you."

Genzai nodded and held out the small charm to Takei. "Seal it first."

Walking up to the two, Takei took the small charm and pushed it against the crescent on her wrist. Resting his forhead against his daughters, he whispered, "Stay safe my daughter. And may your life be full of happiness. This ward will protect you until you come of age." The seal faded into the mark, and then the crescent faded. "This will hide your powers and allow you to age as a human. Know always that you are the heart of your mother and the soul of your father. We will always be with you."

A half a candle mark later, Genzai was running through the forest towards Edo. They had wrapped her up so that he wouldn't have to worry about dropping her, but he still wrapped his arms around the small being whose life he held in front of him. He heard the explosion behind him, but didn't stop to look.

In order to save the child, they wanted the world to believe that she was dead. This was the for the best, but Genzai couldn't stem the sorrow at losing his closest friend.

"Don't worry, dear heart, I will keep you safe for him," he whispered to the child when he heard her whimper.

***Two Weeks Later***

The midnight moon rose high above his head. The crescent resembled the now hidden mark on the small child's wrist. After carefully watching his tail, he was sure that he wasn't being followed.

Heading to the edge of town, he found the dojo that he had been asked to leave her at. As he neared the gate, he could feel the waves of sorrow flowing from within. He didn't know what had happened, but the inhabitants were experiencing a great amount of grief. He hoped that this small child could bring them relief.

Laying her carefully in the small basket he had bought in the last village back, he carefully wrapped her up in the blankets and pinned the note to her the top blanket

Then, releasing a small amount of power, he blew the gates open with a great gust of wind. He knew that the noise would draw someone out from inside. Hiding in the trees on the other side of the road, he watched as a young man who radiated grief came to shut the gates and found the small basket. As the young man read the note, Genzai could see the shock in his eyes as he looked in the basket again.

Genzai watched the young man check for the missing guardian and then pick up the basket to take inside. As the gate was shut behind him, Genzai walked up and placed a ward on the gate. This ward would have to be renewed every year, but he would make sure of it. The small girl would be safe within these walls.

***7 hours before***

Koshijiro Kamiya and his father walked quietly back to the dojo. He was doing his best not to think of where they were coming from. His wife's and son's graves now accompanied his mother's outside of town. Yesterday, they had both began the traumatic event of the birth and neither had come out of it. Trying to hid his sorrow, he couldn't help but silently grieve.

He felt someone's hand on his shoulder and looked next to him to see his father's comforting expression. Nothing had to be said between the two men. Rather, the silence was more comforting than any words could be.

When they got back to the dojo, the neighbor brought over some food for them so that they wouldn't have to worry about cooking dinner. Neither man was very hungry, so the meal was preserved to be used in the morning.

In order to hide from his sorrow, Koshijiro spent the next few hours in the dojo practicing. Once he had worn himself out, he and his father sat silently on the porch. The early summer nights were still slightly cool which was a relief to the quickly heating days.

As the day wore at the two, they eventually both went inside. Neither had said a word to the other since they had returned, but shortly after they had entered the house, a great burst of wind blew the gates opens.

Both looked at the other in surprise. The lock on the gates was strong, and burst of wind that great must have been something abnormal. "I will see to the gate, Father."

Slow steps led the man to the gate where a small basket was sitting. A pile of blankets hid the contents of the basket, but a small note in neat hand writing was resting on top, held in place by a small sewing pin.

Kamiya-san,

Years ago, you saved my life. In return, I taught you the protector. I now ask that you take in my daughter, Kaoru, and keep her safe. As my last wish in this world, I want her to be cared for by your family.

Keiko

Shock was the first feeling he registered. Sure, he had heard of the beautiful woman his father had saved, but that was forty years ago. When a whimper came from the basket, he looked up from the note in his hands. Scanning the road in all directions, he hoped to spy the person who had left the basket, but nothing was visible.

Lifting the basket, he quickly went inside to talk to his father. There must have been more to the story his father had told than what had been revealed as of late.

***About 7 Years Later***

Kamiya Kaoru listened with rapt attention as her grandfather related the tale of the moon princess. She loved this story, though she had no idea why it was her favorite. When the girl left her parents, it always made her want to cry. As he finished the story, she sighed and then went off to play with the late spring butterflies in the garden.

"She always does seem to love that story," Koshijiro said as he walked up behind his father.

"You know that you're going to have to tell her eventually." Koshijiro sighed at his father's comment. They were becoming more frequent.

"She's still too young."

Grunting as he rose, Kenji Kamiya looked his son squarely in the eye, "You won't be around forever, and neither will I. You know as well as I do that there is something about her that is inhuman. If you don't tell her, she could potentially be in great danger once we are gone, or perhaps even before."

Seriously thinking of what his father said to him, he didn't notice as the older man walked around him and back into the house.

"Perhaps, you are right," he whispered to himself as he watched the little girl. He would teach her how to protect herself.

***Ten years later***

Kenshin sat at a small table in the back of the Aoiya restaurant. He had received a curious note that made him desire to seek out his old nemesis/friend, Aoshi Shinomori. The younger demon had taken over the spy networks when the previous leader had decided that he was too old to continue. Apparently Shinomori was very talented because he had been able to locate Kenshin despite Kenshin's desire to not be found.

His thoughts were interrupted as the center of those thoughts took the seat in front of him. "Himura-san," he nodded to the red-haired man.

"Shinomori-san," Kenshin responded in kind. "You said that you had information on Yumi's movements."

"Yes, for some reason, she has moved her operations to Edo."

"Edo?"

Aoshi nodded. "There has been a rumor that the child was not killed in the fire 18 years ago, but has been hidden near Edo."

Kenshin's eyes had widened. Of all the information he had expected to hear, this was not even on the list. The assumption was that the moonchild had been lost shortly after its birth. The loss to the demons had been grieved for a year. Now, there's a rumor that the child lived!

"How?" was the only word Kenshin could get out for his shock.

"The only possibility is that the powers were sealed."

"There's only one person who would be able to create a shield that strong." Aoshi nodded Kenshin's answer. There was no reason to name the mischievous fox demon's name, Takani Megumi. But she hadn't been seen for years, eighteen to be exact.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed in thought as he decided on the best course of action. But Aoshi had one more piece of news. "Also, there is someone in Edo claiming to be the Battousai and killing innocent people as well as anyone who tries to stop him. My information says that he is trying to ruin a small dojo in order to gain it for himself."

Kenshin's purple eyes widened slightly before returning to normal. "I guess I'm heading to Edo." Before his sentence was finished, the demon across from him had faded into mist and disappeared into the shadows.

***A week later***

Kenshin walked through the empty streets about half an hour after dusk. The stars over his head sparkled brightly as the full moon shone down. Suddenly, a voice rang out behind him. The pure fact that he hadn't felt this person as they approached, and even now they couldn't feel any of their aura, as if they didn't have one, startled him. A woman's voice rang out with the words, "STOP! Hitokiri Battousai!"

Kenshin leapt away from her initial charge, but the shock had made him miss the fact that where he intended to land was unstable. The board broke under his foot and he fell. "Oro."

End of chapter one.


	2. Prologue 2: Up to Date

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters therein. However, I do own this story

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter mostly covers the time from their first meeting on the streets of Tokyo to the Kurogasa incident. The storyline pretty much follows the anime, so the flashes of time will be short and mostly to do with story and character development. All changes in the storyline will be clearly expressed in this.

Sadly, my next update is likely going to be slightly delayed because I have to send my computer in for repairs and/or replacement. So please, be patient with me.

THANKS TO: Spot2001, ageha obsessed, Snowpoppy, Shab, VarisVaris, and sapphirehimitsu for reviewing my story. I love the reviews.

TIMELINE: Just a reminder that the Bakumatsu was 25 years ago and the Shishio uprising was 19 years before.

Chapter 1

Kenshin watched Kaoru out of the corner of his eye while he played with the two young girls. The family's doctor, Genzai, had come by after hearing about the newest attack of the fake Battousai only to discover that Kaoru had a house guest and a new injury. Right now, he was cleaning and bandaging the wound.

Last night, Kenshin had noted her lack of discernible ki, and even now, he couldn't feel anything from her. There are a few humans over the centuries that have lacked ki like she does, but they were so few and far between that the chances were slim to ever run into one. Usually, however, this particular ability was a mark of some other secret such as a demon in the lineage. Her offer to stay would allow him some time to figure it out. He knew that she may even lack knowledge of that secret herself.

***Later that night***

After Kaoru had left him in the shed to sleep, as a result of the earlier mistake made solely because he was incapable of reading her ki, he looked around the messily kept storage. Smiling to himself, he made quick work of the mess and left the shed. Barring the door before he left, Kenshin checked the house over to make sure that everything was safe.

He knew now that the fake Battousai had little to do with Yumi and more to do with ruining this dojo. It was another reason to accept her offer to stay. But, he had to remember the real reason he had come back to Edo—or Tokyo as they had renamed it. A rumor that the moonchild had survived the fire that killed both of her parents had to be investigated; especially if the remainder of Shishio's followers were investigating the possibility.

A child born of the moon, a child who it is rumored to be a changeling of the gods, one who possessed the potential for extreme power in their gifted area, one who could bring life or take it. Kenshin knew that the reason Yumi sought the child was because of the rumor that a moonchild's blood could be used to raise the dead. This rumor was born of the last moonchild who killed himself on his parents' dead bodies on the night of the new moon, and they awoke to find their dead son's blood covering them. It was thought that even now, his parents still live 300 years later. While that isn't an abnormality in his world, it was certain that they had died that night.

Kenshin walked the streets at night scanning each home as he passed—searching for the ki of a demon. While he did find some living among those here, including the doctor who had come by Kaoru's dojo, he had yet to find any mark of the child. The sun was rising, and he needed to rest. He hadn't slept in the last few days, and it was finally catching up to him physically.

Finding a corner to rest in, Kenshin allowed himself just an hour of sleep before going to investigate this fake Battousai. While he was not too proud of the name that the humans had given him for the lives that he had taken during the war, he wouldn't allow some fake to use his name to ruin and take lives.

***Later that day***

Kaoru had done her best to defeat her father's old student, but she hadn't been good enough. Now, here she was held in his grasp, at his mercy, or lack of mercy to be more precise. She winced at his suggestions, but she refused to be beaten by him. She stared him down as he drove the handle of his sword into her chin.

For a moment, he stopped, shocked by something she didn't know, and then everyone stopped as their door guard came in.

"So….strong," she heard him whisper before he fell. There was her missing red-haired companion of the day before. She heard Gohei's taunts of her family's style, but she had heard them before. Blocking them out wasn't hard.

"A sword is a weapon. Kenjutsu is the art of killing. That is its true nature. Miss Kaoru's words are those of one who has never dirtied her hands. An idealistic joke if you will."

Kaoru couldn't help the stab of pain that she felt at hearing her father's and grandfather's style belittled in such a way, but what he said next replaced the pain with shock. "But I prefer Miss Kaoru's idealism to the truth of the matter."

Kaoru's shock at his declaration kept her from moving as she watched a battle end in just a few moments. The hoard of vandals that had accompanied her attacker were down in a few moments.

"I didn't say that I wanted the Battousai to stay here! I said I want the wanderer to st…" She covered her mouth as she realized what she was saying.

Turning her back to him, she took a deep calming breath before making her last request. "At least you could tell me your name. Not the Hitokiri, but your real name from before the Bakumatsu."

"Himura Kenshin." When she heard the door slide shut, she released the breath she hadn't known she was holding. Then she heard him speak—removing a guarantee of how long he would be here, but accepting the invitation.

Kenshin couldn't help the small smile as he watched her breach the boundaries of decorum. A single woman, living alone, shouldn't be asking a man she doesn't know to stay with her, but she did. Not just any man, a man who had killed so many during the revolution, that even now, 25 years later, his name still cast fear and doubt. By human understanding, he should have been much too old to create the havoc that the false Battousai had raised, but fear of his name was so strong that time held no boundaries on it.

***A few days later***

After a strange brush with a young pickpocket, Kaoru listened with rapt attention to Tae's tale of the pickpocket's troubles. When Kenshin tried to calm her down and keep her from doing anything too rash, she turned her rage filled eyes at him. Where he had previously noted that silver specks would enter her eyes with strong emotions, he now saw them flash completely silver as his eyes would turn gold.

The unexpected change threw him off enough that she was able to knock him back and run off. He knew that she was going to try and rescue him, and he would have to get there fairly quickly to try and save her from the yakuza.

She wouldn't be able to save the pickpocket, Yahiko, on her own. He knew their kind. They would trick her into servitude if at all possible. But he would have to watch this girl closer if he wanted to find the secret. Her eyes changing color definitely spoke of demon descent, but she had a knack for people that he couldn't place. She seemed to know who she could trust and who she couldn't.

Quickly finding his way to the yakuza, thanks to Tae's information, he disposed of the guards quickly. They would sleep for a while. Then, using one of them who was still a bit conscious, he was led to where Kaoru was facing off with the hitokiri of the yakuza. Not one who had fought for a cause, but one who killed without cause.

Keeping his eyes on the "boss" Kenshin made his demands without really removing his attention from Kaoru. She was injured again, on the same should where Gohei had injured her just a few days before. If she didn't stop being so reckless, she would sustain some serious injuries in her life.

Carrying the boy on his back with Kaoru beside him, Kenshin left the den of killers and thieves to their own devices. Later, he would find a way to disclose their location to the police, but for now, he was happy that no one was seriously injured.

***Three Days Later***

Kenshin watched as his newest acquaintance, Zanza disappeared down the street. The young demon, for yes indeed that's what he was whether the two with him realized it or not, had finally released his grudge against the Ishin Shishi. The truth is that the man held a grudge from the war twenty-five years ago, but Kaoru and Yahiko thought it was a misplaced grudge from more recently.

Thinking about that fight made Kenshin think about Gohei's interruption into the battle. When the man had threatened the two under his protection, Kenshin almost gave into the desire to release his demon, but Zanza's quick response had ended that desire as fast as it had appeared. It had been nearly twenty years since he had released the devil within him, and he didn't understand what had triggered the response this time.

"Sanosuke-san!" he heard Tae call as she ran out of the restaurant.

The three of them turned to her and couldn't help their reactions when she said, "he forgot to pay again."

Kenshin smiled to himself. Too bad he couldn't remain in this state forever. He had to find that child, which he was having no real luck doing, and the rumors hadn't changed as he got closer to their source. Perhaps he would do better looking for Megumi Takani rather than the child. If he knew what kind of ward had been placed, then he may have better luck identifying the child.

***A Week Later***

Kenshin listened quietly as the police chief, which he had made friends with after the Yamagata incident, asked for his help to catch an assassin. This assassin was killing off important or influential members of the government, and he would taunt them all by announcing who and when before he ever came.

There was a nagging suspicion in the back of the former hitokiri's mind that he knew who was doing this, but he didn't know for certain. If he was right, there would only be a few who could take on the demon that was plaguing the government, and he was one of them.

Agreeing to the task, Kenshin wasn't too happy about having to fight. But he could sense the necessity of it.

***The Next Day***

Kaoru felt the pain of loneliness stab in her gut when she heard Sanosuke's explanation of what had happened the night before. She knew that if Kenshin reverted totally back to who he had been, then she likely would never see him again. She didn't know how she knew it, but she was as certain of this fact as she was that the sun would set that night.

Running out of the gate as fast as she could, she found Kenshin a few hours later sitting by the river.

"Kenshin" she growled at him. She held back her satisfaction when his sword smashed his thumb in the sheath. 'That's what you get for trying to sneak away!' she thought to herself.

Sitting down beside him, she countered his pleas for her to return to the dojo until he came back. That is, until he made the logical argument that he couldn't fight as well while trying to protect her.

Releasing a soft sigh, she stood up and removed her hair ribbon. It was the last thing her father had given her before he died, and she loved it very much. "This is my favorite ribbon. You must return it to me after the fight. If you go wondering and forget to return it, I will never forgive you!"

After a few moments of thought, she saw the realization in his face. He smiled and said, "I will return this to you after the fight so you can go and wait at the dojo. I won't leave without returning this to you."

Kenshin couldn't help the great amount of relief that he felt when she agreed to return to the dojo. He had placed wards on the dojo that would keep her safe from anyone, and he had given a few more to Sanosuke to keep out Jineh when he had sent the younger demon back to the dojo.

As he watched her smile and begin to turn to leave, she suddenly disappeared from his sight, grabbed by the very demon he had wanted to protect her from.

"I see that this is your woman, Hitokiri Battousai. Get angry and let the demon out!" His voice called from down the river which was flowing faster than Kenshin could move to get her back.

"JINEH!" he yelled out, all of his pent up fear and anger coming out at once. His only answer was maniacal laughter. Then, Kaoru's voice rang up the river, "KENSHIN!"

Kenshin's emotions were boiling over. The young woman, who had befriended him without guile, disguise, or reservation, was gone. She had been taken by a maniac. He would get her back. He had to get her back.

To be continued….

Ok, so I know that these first two chapters are much more like a prologue, but there's no help for it. And I know that the timeline is kind of weird having the Bakumatsu 25 years ago, but it really was necessary. I decided that the legend of his name would be good enough to account for everything. And her acceptance of him being the Battousai despite how young he looks may be explained a bit later…


	3. Chapter 1: Awakening

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm sorry that it took two weeks to get this chapter out, but with my computer going into the shop for repairs, and other life situations, I was lucky to get it done and out this week. I hope you enjoy. This chapter is still more narration, but the next one gets into the meat of the story.

THANK YOU: **J Luc Pitard**—I think that it is on the way to being a really good story, but I think that there are many ways I can improve on it. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's still mostly narration, but we're on our way to the heart of the story. And I think that it will be much better then. **Saris Yui**—I hope you enjoy this update

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kenshin or any of the characters therein. However, this story is purely out of my own imagination—with some input from friends.

Chapter 1: The Awakening

The hard wood beneath her knees made her want to squirm, but her own stubbornness prevented her from showing any sign of weakness to her captor, and that including squirming to find a more comfortable position. The ex-assassin was sitting about three meters in front of her smoking a cigarette. He was completely at ease despite her constant glare. She barely allowed herself to blink at him, partly out of frustration and partly out of fear. Kaoru had witnessed this man's speed once already, and the idea that he could be faster than Kenshin terrified her.

She wouldn't allow herself to enjoy the beauty around her. This night would have been her night if the situation was different. Normally, she would wait until everyone was asleep and sneak out of the house to watch the stars. The sky was clear and they sparkled brightly despite the light from the moon. She made herself ignore the sounds of the night around her; the croak of frogs, the whisper of the wind as it swept through the tops of the trees, the sounds of the cicadas' song, and the distant howl of some bird of prey when missing its target; it all had to be ignored. The taste of yesterday's rain was still on the air, but she refused to enjoy the night.

The feel of the rope around her wrists helped to keep her focused on what was happening right at this moment. The thought that Kenshin wouldn't come after her didn't even enter her mind. She knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that he would come. That's what scared her. Would he be hurt because she hadn't stayed at the dojo? This was her fault, and to hide from her own guilt, she gave into her anger. She let it boil up inside her until it hit that familiar barrier.

If Jineh had been paying more attention, he would have seen her eyes flash completely silver for a moment. Meanwhile, Kaoru could feel that familiar feeling of something inside her holding her emotions, and something else, back. Despite the quiver when it hit, whatever wall that she had built around herself stayed strong.

As the moon rose a bit higher, she saw a shadow walking towards them from within the trees. Holding back her smile, she knew that Kenshin had come for her, but as he came closer, she realized that something was off. His head was slanted so that his bangs hung over his eyes; his whole being was rigid and silent. He made her think of a bow strung too tight and about to pop.

Worry began to creep through the thick folds of anger she had been piling onto her emotional table. Something about Kenshin was strange. As she listened to them and watched the beginning of the battle, she knew that Kenshin was different. Fear of what he was capable of doing began to quickly drown out the worry from before; that is, until he took a hit with the sword. She felt her heart slam against her chest, and that familiar feeling inside of her was banging against that wall even harder. Tiny cracks were beginning to show themselves in whatever wall had been built there.

Kaoru couldn't help her outburst, but when Jineh turned his stare to her, she felt her blood freeze in her veins. Everything about the night, about Kenshin, her fears, her worries, even her anger, disappeared into those horribly fathomless eyes. Instead, she saw the terror and pain of all the people he had killed. Their screams echoed in her mind, and her voice joined the throng of screamers.

She felt him look away, but the air that had caught in her throat refused to come back out. She couldn't breathe! Small choking sounds echoed in the clearing, but at first didn't realize they were coming from her. That sensation of the shield in her beginning to crack continued to grow under the constant onslaught of something she didn't understand. It fought for release harder and harder as every second passed. Kenshin continued fighting Jineh who had used his trick to make himself stronger. But the noises from their battle weren't reaching Kaoru.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The realization that Kenshin was going to kill was paramount in her mind as she continued to fight for breath. He was going to break his vow. He was going to take a life! He couldn't! She wouldn't allow it. His words from what seemed to be so long ago echoed in her mind, "A sword is a weapon…Kenjutsu is the art of killing…Miss Kaoru's words are…an idealistic joke…but I prefer Miss Kaoru's idealism to the truth of the matter." Everything he had fought for would be gone in this single moment, and it would all be her fault. Stopping him had to be her first priority for both their sakes. If he killed Jineh, he would leave; this she knew without a shadow of a doubt. He would save her and then say goodbye. She had to stop this now.

In that single moment, everything shattered within her. The invisible shield broke, and she felt a release unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was like the breaking of a damn and the release of the river. It flooded every part of her from her fingers to her toes and deep inside her lungs with a cool, lightly tingling feeling. A large intake of breath, and she screamed at the two in front of her not a moment too soon, "NO!"

Kaoru didn't notice Kenshin's sword stopping mere centimeters above Jineh's head, nor did she see the two shocked swordsmen looking at her. And she definitely didn't notice Kenshin's eyes soften and then harden with sudden realization. What she did notice was that as her body collapsed out of the hold of the Shin no Ippou, that Kenshin was there to catch her. She noticed his speech pattern return to that of the rurouni marking the end of his time as the Battousai. She also noticed the shadow of the man who had caused their troubles as he walked up behind Kenshin.

His disdain for Kaoru was evident as he spat out his disgust at having his technique defeated by a "mere woman." But neither of them were prepared for him to take the short sword into his heart.

Not long later, the night found them quietly walking on the road to home. Kenshin whispered a question he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to, "What were your parents like?"

"This is an odd time that question," Kaoru said as she stopped and looked at him. "What brought on such a thought?"

"This one is just curious as to how you began to learn kenjutsu."

After a moment of silence, Kaoru began walking again. "I guess it comes from being the only daughter of a widower and kenjutsu instructor. I was raised mostly by my father and grandfather. My mother died when I was a baby. When I was about seven, my father decided that life was unpredictable, and he wanted me to be safe in this changing world. So, he taught me kenjutsu. I've always suspected, though, that my grandfather was the real reason I began to learn the art."

"Why is that?"

"I can't say exactly, it's just one of those things. I don't know how I know it's true; I just do."

"After finding out I was Battousai, why did you ask me to stay?"

Here, Kaoru stopped again and looked up at the night sky. Hooking her hands behind her back, she stayed silent for a few moments as she considered his question. Why had she asked him to stay? She had barely known him, and it was definitely inappropriate, though she didn't much care about the town's gossip. "I guess it goes along with knowing. I know you're a good person. I knew it from the moment I really saw you in the heap of wood on that first night. I've always been able to tell if a person was good or not by the look in their eyes. Can't you?"

Kenshin's shock was visible on his face. Kaoru couldn't hide the giggle that slipped from her mouth before she turned and began walking back to the dojo. Her knees were killing her from sitting in that position for so many hours, and she wanted to get home and take a nice long bath.

Soon, the road cleared the trees, and she could see her home in the distance. Quickening her pace, she almost began to jog the distance separating her from a hot bath and bed. More than anything, she wanted to forget this night, but something inside her told her that couldn't happen. When that shield had broken, everything had begun to change in her. The tingling sensation wasn't going away, but was rather, getting stronger. And those niggling feelings she would get about people was increasing so much that it was as if she could read Kenshin. She could even feel the people in the homes they were passing. She knew who was awake, was asleep, dreaming good dreams, having nightmares, and so on.

As they neared the dojo, Kaoru said, "I really want a bath. I know it's late, but I still want it."

"I'll heat the water for you, if you want to gather your supplies."

"That would be nice, thank you Kenshin."

As they walked through the door, Kaoru darted off to gather her sleeping yukata and bathing supplies while Kenshin headed over to heat the bath water.

He moved on auto pilot. Shock still rushed through his veins. How could he have missed it? The surge of power that released Kaoru from the Shin no Ippou could only come from one place, from the moonchild. She had to be the missing child. Whatever ward had been used to shield her powers had also made her age as a human, which explains how she was able to remain hidden from Yumi.

Megumi was the only one who could make a ward strong enough to shield Kaoru's powers even when she was directly under _his_ nose. He had been living with the moonchild while also looking for her at the same time. Now that he found her, he had to hide her. The wards on her dojo wouldn't be enough. Yumi's group would be looking for her to bring Shishio back.

Kenshin couldn't block the image of Kaoru being sacrificed in some secret ceremony to raise Shishio. He saw Yumi holding the dagger above her head ready to plunge it in Kaoru's heart. Fear froze his heart and stopped his breathing. Then anger followed burning up his insides. It had been a long time since he had felt these emotions, and he didn't want to feel them now.

Parts of the earlier conversation rang through his mind. She didn't know anything about her mother; her father and grandfather raised her. But most importantly, she had always had a sixth sense about the truth of a situation.

Kaoru came out of the house holding her bathing supplies. Hiding his emotions behind his smile, he greeted her, "Kaoru-dono, the bath should be ready for you."

She beamed at him like a child who had just been given the greatest gift. "Thank you, Kenshin." He had to remember that she was a child, and if what he believed had really just happened, things were going to be confusing and hard for her in the days the come. Her gifts had been blocked from her until now, and they would all converge on her quickly. Rather than just being a part of her life, like it should have been, these gifts would come bombarding on her at once. Likely, it had already begun.

Much like Kenshin thought, they were beginning to bombard her. Kaoru couldn't hold back her groan of pain as she prepared to bathe. Her head was beginning to throb from whatever it was that had happened when she broke Jineh's hold. "I hope this head ache goes away soon," she whispered to herself as she climbed into the tub.

The steam and hot water helped the ease her head and overpowered the tingling sensations that had been moving from her toes to her fingers. Sighing in content, Kaoru allowed her mind to drift away from everything that had happened, and go back to a time of simplicity. The story that her grandfather had told her of the moon princess popped into her mind. He had really loved to tell her that story. She used to make believe that he was secretly telling her that she was that child, a gift from the moon itself. Kaoru giggled at her childhood antics. She remembered running around the dojo trying to find the tree that she had come out of. But, alas, she never did find the hollow tree trunk to prove her origins.

Reminiscing about the past wasn't something she allowed herself to do regularly, but she was feeling particularly nostalgic after the day's events. She had almost died today, and she didn't want to go without telling Kenshin how she felt. She didn't want to regret her time.

Kaoru was brought back to reality by sharp knocking on the door. "Kaoru-dono, are you all right? You've been in there a long time."

"Yes, Kenshin," she called back, "I'll be out shortly." Lifting her hand out of the now cool water, Kaoru steadied herself on the side of the tub and rose.

She felt kind of a dizzy, but dismissed it as having been in the bath for too long. She secured a towel around herself and went to pick up the sleeping yukata, but her dizziness was getting worse. Instead of picking up the garment, she grabbed at the wall to steady herself for a moment. The world began spinning around her, and she found herself on her knees before the black spots in her vision consumed everything into darkness.

To be continued….

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